What are main differences between two Windows registry editors Regedit and Regedt32?

Question

Sometimes I need to use registry editor to change some application setting. What are main differences between two Windows registry editors Regedit and Regedt32?

Answer 1

From this page. The important area is towards the end, for Windows XP and later operating systems:

Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Regedit.exe
Regedit.exe is the configuration editor for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Regedit.exe is used to modify the Windows NT configuration database, or the Windows NT registry. This editor allows you to view or modify the Windows NT registry. .... Regedit is a powerful tool. You must use extreme caution when you use it to change registry values. Missing or incorrect values in the registry can make the Windows installation unusable.

Regedt32.exe
In Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, Regedt32.exe is a small program that just runs Regedit.exe.

There is no difference, regedit.exe is the actual registry editor and regedt32.exe is simply an alternative (backwards compatible, i.e. for old Windows NT programs to use) way to run regedit.

Answer 2

In Windows 9x series, regedit was the only tool. regedt32 was introduced in Windows NT 3.0, with such features as editing key permissions or adding more data types (REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ). Starting with Windows XP, the new features have been merged into regedit. If you run regedt32, it launches regedit and does nothing else.

• Windows Registry - Editing on Wikipedia

Answer 3

Regedit.exe is the registration editor for 16-bit Windows. It is used to modify the Windows registration database.

Regedt32.exe is the configuration editor for Windows NT. It is used to modify the Windows NT configuration database, or the Windows NT registry. This editor allows you to view or modify the Windows NT registry.